Music teacher denies historic sex crimes

by court reporter

The head of music at a top private school has appeared at the Crown Court accused of sexually abusing a schoolboy in the 1980s.

Sean Ambrose Farrell, 49, denied two charges of indecent assault and two of gross indecency.

The alleged offences are said to have occurred at Ampleforth College near Malton between September 1985 and August 1986.

Farrell, of Abbeyfield court, Riddings Road, Ilkley, appeared at York Crown Court on Friday when he pleaded not guilty to four counts of sexual abuse against the under-age boy.

Judge Andrew Stubbs QC adjourned the case for a trial starting on November 27. Farrell was bailed until then on condition that he has no unsupervised contact with children and keeps the police informed of his address.

Since the allegations arose, Mr Farrell has been suspended from his job at Wellington College, Berkshire, the £37,000-a-year private school where he was head of music.